The Gut Check No.362: The Late Show/Emerging Talents

You may look at some of these 13 late-round prospects and think, NEVER GONNA HAPPEN, but Steph Curry and Bill Walsh beg to differ.

When it comes to late-round prospects and waiver wire wonders, you may never become the Stephen Curry of fantasy football. But there’s a reason the NBA MVP has awesome range:

Preparation matters — even if the scenarios you’re practicing for are as unlikely or remote as hitting a half-court shot. Bill Walsh had the 49ers practice a red zone play every week that his players believe would never happen…

Last week, I profiled 10 late-round and UDFA rookies with a remote shot at having a fantasy impact this year, but the talent to make good with an opportunity to see the field. I joked that they were only fit for the “Late Late Show.”

This week’s fantasy prospects air before midnight, but they still qualify as guests for earlier programming, but still qualifies as the “Late Show”. If these fantasy options perform well this year, they could see primetime in 2017.

What kind of fantasy prospects qualify as guests of the “Late Show?” Here are the requirements from my casting director:

He never performed as a QB1, RB2, WR3, or TE1 for at least 10 weeks during a season.

He wasn’t picked during the first three rounds of the NFL Draft.

He has less than six years of NFL experience, but he’s not a rookie.

He has demonstrated flashes of skill and production in practice or on the field.

His ADP is outside the top 150 picks (PPR).

The casting director does not take bribes from agents, players, or fantasy owners. As the Late Show’s host, I don’t endorse all 17 of these fantasy prospects as draftable. This is fantasy football practice; preparation for your mind.

The less obvious names are worth learning about — and in some cases, reconsidering — as options that may help you this fall far more than you believe this summer. You may look at some of these guys and think never gonna happen, but Steph Curry and Bill Walsh beg to differ.